Ironman race day can be manic. You are up around 4am trying to eat and put on the race tattoo while also going over in your head anything you forgot.
Then you are off to transition area to check your bike and add fuel. There is a lot going on and still lots of stuff to bring with you.
I use ironman checklist for everything now – after one year Scott forgot his wetsuit but quickly Martina was awake and dropped it over to him.
There is always something new to learn even at Ironman New Zealand I kicked my toes off a timber barrier where my car was parked on way to transition and had to wrap it up but it was spitting blood. Next time I will be wearing crocs.
After completing 5 x full ironman events and 4 x 70.3 events I have learned a few things on the way that I would like to share with you:
Prioritize Sleep 3 nights out
Your sleep on the night before race day will most probably be poor. You will be going to be bed early and getting up extra early. That’s normal and not a problem, but make sure you try get a good night’s sleep during the preceding nights.
2 / 3 nights before the race you want make sure you are sleeping loads and resting.
Do transition tour
The day before there is transition tours which are good to familiarize yourself as transition is completely different than 70.3. You use transition bags for bike and run which are hanging up from day before.
hang Transition Bags at end of day
Hang the bags towards transition close so the nutrition is not out in the sun all day and can go off or not taste the best. Freeze bottles during the day before putting them in transition.
Do Race recce of ironman course
The swim know distance to each buoy. Drive the bike course or get out and practice and hills. Port Macquarie 2024 we did this which helped to know what to expect for the infamous Flanders Drive climb.
Stay out of Sun & Off Feet
The day before, do a quick activation session followed by registering in morning and then head home. Check-in bag in afternoon if really hit as nutrition is going to be out in sunshine all day if you check-in the morning.
Lists for Everything
The packing list, shopping list for when you get there, the morning activation list, the check-in list, the morning of race list.
You have lots of stuff for an ironman.
Get to Transition Early
Expect the worst and need extra time. You are not going to be sleeping anyway. Been with people who forgot their wetsuit and had go back to house for it.
Self-Seed on Ironman Swim
Place yourself around other quicker swimmers to get a good head start. Sooner in the water the sooner out. People will swim around you.
draft the ironman swim
You’ll save up to 10% of your energy for the 3.8km by swimming directly behind or by their hips. Avoid being out in front too long no need to be a hero its not like cycling. For context my first 70.3 the swim took 48mins which is a 2.30mins. The Ironman 5 months later I found feet and got it done 1.21 at 2.06.
Don’t Get Lost Swimming
Look for gold caps x10 IM events. Research by Swim Smooth has shown that IRONMAN athletes commonly swim several hundred metres more than they need to.. They do this by zig-zagging their way through the swim course, instead of following the most direct route.
Kick Coming out of Water
When coming out start kicking extra 100m out and don’t stop swimming to till your hands hit the sand then standup.
Keep Nutrition Plan Simple
Used to do an hour-by-hour nutrition plan but always got lost. Now have 540 carbs in bike jersey or on bike just to eat it. Solids at start and finish with gels. 2 salt tablets every hour.
Use Multiple Data Sets
On bike my primary metric is power/cadence/speed in that order followed by lap distance/time. This helps adjust according to conditions. Auto-lap every 10km and eat/drink.
Use & Stick to Race Pace
Do not let the first km be your quickest, force yourself to slow down and stick to your pacing plan. Patience is key. Triathlon Race Pace Calculator | MyProCoach™
Ironman Bike Magnet
There are magnets where the bike is hanging with your number which a great souvenir only people who do the race can get.
